Automatic starting-box.



M. E. CUSTER.

AUTOMATIC STARTING BOX.

AYPLIOATIOH rum) FEB 26, 1913.

1,103,662. Patented Ju1y14,191l

WITNESSES INVENTOI? ATTORNEYS n4: NORRIS rrrzns co. wAsnnvauA', or :7

orda n STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

AUTOMATIC STARTINGBOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14:, 1914;

'A iicatibii filed February 26,1913. Serial No. 750,766.

To ell whom it may o e n .l'; 4

acitizen of the United States, and a r'e'sident of Carbonado, in the county of Pierce and State of VVas'hington, havein'vented certain new and useful lmprovementsjin Automatic Starting-Boxegggi which theifollowing is a specificationI Z 7 v My nvention relates to automatic, starting boxes of; the in co nnec'tion iwith l electric other electrically; machinery, ,or' fwith electriq. lamps for p rp at rs .ee si iame ifipw' ti s. rent through .themainor'p WerQ and then i creasing, 1 16 new 'ste'pfbyg' i nl i t l the current reaches'its 'normal or gwprki g P I I i A i if More particularly stated, my invent on comprehends a number; of branchingf eir; cuits ea'chincluding' an indiyidual resistance, these circuits being closed, oneiat ,a'time; in a definite'gorderof successionuntil the measurcof electric power is-turned 'oi1 after; which all of the circuits except one ,are' opened in a, definite order} of-. succeesion;{ the one remaining closed being .alway:ei1ergi:z ed; under normal ,worliing conditions, vthe,m .3JJ;I 1 for openingfiand closing the 'ci r'cuits.beingautomatically operated.

Reference is made to the'accompanying drawings forming a part iof ,thi's ',specifica tion and in which like lettersindicate like, parts. i I The figure is a view partly in .fro nt leva' tion and partly diagrammaticshowing my improved starting box with all of the re; sistance units, the various parts here appear-j ing in their normal or idle positions. X

Mounted upon the board 11 are anuniber' of solenoids 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. Thesolenoids 12, 13, 14 and 15 areofanydesired resistance and the solenoid 16 is of highire sistance, suitable for avoiding undue waste of current with the voltage to be employed. Mounted upon a base 17 is a'magnet l8 also' of high resistance, and adjacent to this magnet is an armature 19 which is provided with a contact 20." Binding posts are shown at 21, 22, 23 and24. Thebase 17 and parts mounted upon it together constitute a relay. Mounted upon-a board 245" is a magnet 25 adapted for series connection with the sole-- noid 1G, and adjacent to this magnet is an armature lever 26. This lever is provided with an extending portion 27 which acts to jsomefextent' as' ia spring and carries at its o'uter or free end an eye 28 4 Apin 29 is mounted upon the base24 and ;s erves'asa limiting stop for the armature ileverl2 6, A contact 30, controllable by the ainiatdre leverQQ-is adapted to open and close a circ u it,f hereinafter described. Thebiiiding post 31is connected with one of 1 themembers of the contact 30. ,This binding I I connected, b'y,a wire"3'2 witli the solenoid"16.'" Another binding post 33 ,-is mounted upon the, base zitjand is connected niagget this magnet being I also connected wit binding post 31. [The base I24? and parts carriedby it to- ;jgther constitute a relay.. A- number. of mov- ;ab1e eores-3 4, 35, 36, 37, 38 are provided, each icoref'servi nggs the armature of one of the {solenoidsf12,' 13, '14, 15, 16. Each core slid- 5 ably engages 'a bearing 39 and :carries a disk 40,..of semij'cendiicting material, having in this irista'nclthe form of a disk. The disks. carried by the cores 34, 35, 36 and 37 are each of high resistance, while the disk cariried by. 38 is of comparatively low lijesistancecbininensurate with the maximum i prre' mo befuse'd in the power circuit. ,IQBelow 'eachsoliio'id are located two holders 40,4 1carrying stationary contact mem- ;be rs 12, 43 which may conveniently have the gram of carbon rods. Adjacent to the solen oids'lZ, 13, 14 and 16 are movable arms E44, 45, 46, 17, each carrying a contact member- 48, 49, 50, 51, these contact members be- ;ing severally engaged by the carbon disks 4.0 whenever the cores of the solenoids are idmwn' p y- 1 transformer is shown at 52 and is providedfwith a primary winding 53 and a secondary winding 54. The secondary winding is connected by wires 55, 5G with the work to' be done by;thecurrent. ,A wire 57 is connectedwith the primary Winding 53 and alsoflwitlrapower main 58. Connected withthe' main 58 is a wire 59 and extending from this wire to the solenoid-16 is a wire 60 Connected with the wires 59,60 is a wire Gl andQeXtending from the latterto the solen0id 15 is awire G2. The wires 61, 62 are. connected to a wire 63 and from the latter a wire (37 extends to the solenoid 14. The wires 63, 64,- are connected to a-wire 65, this Wire being connected to another wire 66. i

A wire 67 is connected to the wires 65. 66 and also to the solenoid 13. A wire-68 is Connected with" uie iifi'ii-a' 'ii connected with the'wire (i6 and wlth'the so Connected with the bindingfpost'23 is a" wire 70 which extends upwardly and is connected with the solenoid 12. A wire 71 extends from the swinging arm 44 to the solenoid 13. Similarly a wire72 e k'tehds from the grin l .the solenoid l4: and another wire 7 3 extends from 1 the swihgihg ehiijiti to the solenoid 15.

I A xvii-'6 74 le'zids fru t-thesw ng iigf i mfu s to the binding post 22; Ciipepwd with the bihding ast. 24 is'i wi're'75' to w idi is r583 d connected with the lattii d wiies l which leads to the heliier ii below the'solenfoidf14 The wires 83, 84 are connected it; zi. -'iirii=e-85x Coil'nected "with thisflwire is a wire; se'jwiiieii lends upwardly to 'th iiie u sifir i iisw the solenoi 13. A wire BTis'Connctdto the wires s5,- 85 fun-d, witlf't Bardeen-theme? the solenoid 12 1" 5 il" es; of the e te 52 s w ml lftd rzi ix-iirdlysfiom this wire is'f'zi wits 8 Which is connected with the holder 40 We solenoid 12. Connected w'iuithefif iagifi o of the solenoid 13 is wix'wiie 90 em-entit es (l'o'wnwilrdl'y and is conne'ctedfwithi'awire 9.1,this wire being i150 eons-sate i luiiu t wires 88, 89. A wire 92' is-"conh'ected with the wires 90, 91 and also a, "wi're which leads upwardly to the'li'olde'r A O b'e low the solenoid 14." p p Kf'lire 95L is connected withthe wires 92, 93 and also with a wire 95, the' l ii tterextehdiiilg upwardly to th'dhol'der ijO 'lielow the solenoid 15. Connected with thewires 94, 91') is 11 wire 96 which leads" to the holder 40 below the solenoid 16. Conne ted with the lower end of the core 37 is :1 rod which is provided at its lower end with almob 98, and also at a little distim'ce above its lower end with 51 collar 99. The portion of the 97 between the eyes '98, 99 extends :loosel)? through the eye 28 so that the rod97 cah have a measured amount of Verticalplay withoutm'oiiingthe leverQG, but afte'r moi;- ing a p'redetermihed distance will cause the lever 26 to inove.

"While in this instance '1 disclose t e i s desirable if alternating currents are used;

and that the wires 5'7, 88 in ay be connected directly with a number of resistances, or with the motor or machine to which current is to be supplied. This is always the case in instances-where direct current is to be used. -'-lhe operation of my improved device is asfollows: I will first assume that the de- .vice is idle and that the mains 58, 78 are disen'gsiged frbiitthe source of power. The Weight of the various cores 3%,35, 36, 37, 38 m aintainsthese cores i'ri' their lowerinostres t i\he positions, as indicated in Fig. 1. hti finzitiit e 1 9 the tithiature lever 26 iat'e also in their lowelmost positions, the

ice ieiet 20 beiiigfelosedimd the contact open. 1 Suppo e now that the mains 58, T8:ir'e enefgiied'or closed so that the power is turned .on. The following circuit may Ihtiih 7B,hii're'i7, {binding 156st Q4, armature isl coii'iiiczo-tneiv closed), binding past 23,

to-being thus brought into engagement with the contact members 42,, 43 and 48. Anotherfeircuit is thus completed as' follows: .s miic-tif power,ihi1ih'78, wires 79, 81,83,535,

hrought 'iifto with the corresp idii g. qncaet fii eii b is 42, 43 and 49 iassoci'afed with"the lenoid l3. Ahother icircuit is thus complete'd'as followsr source ot s ipplymmiirts, wires 79, s1, s3, s5, s0, coh'tadt member 43 below solenoid 13, car- 'ihoh dis'lt 4'0 'c'arri'e'd by core '35, contact meniiber 49, a1 rn 45, wire 72, solenoid 14, and suite-:04, (s3, (s1, 59 and main 58 backto lso'lirce of supply; This energizes the 'sole-.

noi'd if! and causes its core 36 to be lifted {:ishboi'e jdescribed with reference to the {lifting of the core by the solenoid '13. Aniother circuit is thusj'completed as follows: jsoilrce of supplyfmain 7 8, wires 79, '81, S3 =84 to the Contact member 43 adjacent to the core 3% dislc 40, Contact member 50, wire 73. solenoid 15, wires 62, 61 and 59, to main 58 a'ildt-ll'efic hack to source "ot's'upply. This ei ier izes the solenoid 15 and causes it to liftits "core This iiiises the rod 97 and in so doing; causes thekn'ob 98 to engage the i-eye 28 and thus swing the armature lever 26 upwardly so s to closfthe contact 30. This completes the following circuit: source of supply, rinain 78, Iwire's 77,76, magnet, 25,

bin 1i'n*g po tf31,wire 32,' s'ole'noid 16, wires and 59 and main 58, back tosource of sup- ;iiow mead: saiirce or powenthotfshown).

ii iie'iiier it-edi 't -ct member 43, mbo'ii' ply. This circuiter'iergzes both the magnet 25 and theso'lenoid I6 so that the contact 30 net 25.-

is now maintained closed independently of the lifting action of the rod 97, in other words is held up by attraction of the magcatcd in Fig. 2, and-Figs. 3, 4,.5 and 6.indi

m described, so that the cor-e ,is -lifted and cate the various positions,pccupied ;,by ;the several moyableparts as the other solenoids 1.63% a ucces y energized: Each.vof thesolenoids @as it becomes enerw gized alsocompletesa branching ,circuit a f,-..

fectin g. the transformerJ52, the solenoid 12 is energizedsg as .to,raise its core -34e into .-its.- -upper-most position,.-gas above ,de-v er t he .fellowi aiei c it, .eqmp d;

- 3 source of supply, main;,78,= "79,81, 83,

and contact .Q-manb n A34 be 'qwas erinoid l2,- gadjacent contact- ,i disk 10, and contact membere2, holder A02; wires ,.8'9, 88,-,- qarimary;.winding 53, wire 57 .and main 58, back toesour ce, of supply, ,{lhis energizes the primary-winding 53-110.,311 ex tent dependent upon the ohmic resistance of he r n disk .AQ-eerr e i by; the core. a. As the solenoid 13-.isenergized,;as.above the contact disk .40 carried by this coreis brought into engagement,.,with the contact members 42,43,-and,49.-above it, the following circuit iscompletedzgsourceof supply, main 78, wires-79, 81, 83, 85 86, holder 41, contact-memberi? below solenoidfilS, adjacent contact disk 40, contactmemberez, holder e0 wires 90, 91, and 88 to primary winding 83, thence'through wire 57 and main 58 back to source of supplynltiwill be noted that the primary Winding 53 is now energized by such current. as can pass through two disks 40, which are in parallel with each other with rcferenceto thefprimar windin". Similarl when'the'solenoid 1% is energized so that its core 36 is lifted into its uppermost position, another circuit similar to the two last described is closed through the next disk 40, so that the three consecutive disks 40 are now in circuit with the transformer winding 53 and are in parallehwith this winding reference to the source of electrical supply, as may readily be understood from Fig. 4. I As the solenoid 1,5 is energized and lifts its core 37, as indicated in Fig. 5, a circuit analogous to the three last traced is completed through the solenoid "15 and the winding 53 of the transformer, there now being four disks 4-0 in parallel with each other with reference to the primary winding of the transformer. As the solenoid 1G is energized and lifts its core 38, as indicated in Fig. 6, a circuit is completed through another disk 40 and the transformer winding 53 so that all of thefive disks 40 are now in parallel .with each other, and serve as so many resistance units for protecting the transfOlImQl. Ihis condition of the parts, however, remains but a moment.

The lifting of the core38-0f the solenoid 16 by bringing the,' c0ntact disk 40 carried by its core into engagement with the adjacent contact member -51 completesthe following circuit:

isource ofsupply, main 78, wires 79, 80, ad-

jaccnt,hol der..41, contact member 4-3, 0011 tzicthrlisk'ifithcohtact member 51, arm 47, wir fl t bindin post 22, magnet 18, bind- ;ing post..2l, an \vi ies 69, 66, 65, (33 G1, 59 ,and main-Q58 back to source of supply.

Thisenergizes the magnet. Band by causit to attract itsarmature l3 causes the contact2Q to be op en( ad.-, .This accomplished, no circuit cannow .bQjtliLCGd through the solen 'oi d .;12 ,a,nd this solenoid being .thus doenergized no longer g SllPPOItS its core 34., iwhich thereupon drops into its lowermost positionl gHence the d islceO carried by the core34becomes disengaged from the contact .member .43 ,and in so doing opens the circuit through'the solenoid 13. Thelatter, in like inanner, becoming now decnergized .drops;-its. core,3 5,,thus opens the circuit through, the solenoid 14;. .Th is solenoid in turn, by becoming .denergized, causes the.

circuit through the solenoidrl5 to be opened.

-As -the core 3'l;thereupon drops into its low-. iermosgpositiomtit no; longer supports the armature, lever 26, but as above described this armaturelever is maintained in its uppermost position by the attraction of the magnet;25 so that-the contact 30 still rcmains closed. being thus successively denergized, as indicated in Figs. 7, 8,, 9 and 10, no longer ThesolenoidslZ, .13, l t, 15

have anyinfiuence upon the supply of currentthrough the primary winding 15, but

a controlling circuit may now be traced as follows {source of supply, main78,. wire 79, ire 8() to holderill, adjacent to'core 38, contact member 43, disk 40, contact member 51, arm 47, wire 74, bindingpost magnet 18, binding post 21, wires (59, 0G, (35. G3, 61, and '59, and main 58 back to source of supply. This circuit by maintaining the contact 20 open prevents the solenoid 12 from being energized, and in doing this prevents any of the solenoids 13, 14c, 15 from becoming energized. The power circuit, which is of low resistance'and comparatively simple, may now be traced as follows: source of supply, main 78, wires 79, 80, holder 41, contact member 43, carbon disk 40, contact member 42, holder 40 and wires 96, 94, 92, 91 and 88 to primary winding 53, thence through wire 57 and main 58 back to source of supply. The solenoid 16 and the magnet are in series with each other, and remain energized .while the power circuit is active. Since however, the solenoid '16 and magnet 'arewound to ar sistance suitable for the voltage employed in the powercircuit, the loss of power from maintaining them energized constantly-becomes negligible. 7 I 7 With the apparatus'in the condition just described, namely, with the solenoid 'lfi ah'ii' the magnet 2-5 energized and all of the other parts occupying their respective'normal po sitions, as indicated in Fig. 10, the'de'vie? may be used indefinitely,'or so long as i'ti's'.

desirable to keep the transformer 52"en'e1 gized, or to'a'pply the current controlled'by' the device to any set'ofresistanc'es'or di-- rectly to the work to be accomplished. soon, however, as power is cut off through the mains 58, 79 the 's0lenoidfi'16 and magnet- 25 are deenergized 's'othat the aifn'a tnre lever 26 drops into itslowei'most pbsi' tion and rests 'u'poir the"limiting stopfig; The drop of the core 38', by causing the-Rib tact disk 40 carried by it to disengage-the contact member 51, now=opens tlie' oir'uit through the magnet 18 andcans'es the ariff-ature is) of this magnet to drop and closethe contact 20. This leaves the various' movablej parts in their respective-idle positionsfasf indicated in Fig. 1. "By closing'the ci'rd'iiit through the mains 5 8, 79 the entire cycle'of operations may be'repeated.

I do not limit myapparatus to'use in con nection with currents of any particular kind, nor do 1 limit myself to the precis'ei mecha nisin shown, the scope of my inventioir being commensurate with my 'claimsi Having now described my inventioh what I claim-as new and desire to secure by Let'' ters Patent is as follows:

1. In an automatic starting box, the combination of a pluralityo-fsolenoids, a movable core for each solenoid, a resistance unit connectcdmith each core and adapted to be Copies of this patent may be obtained for thrown into and outof circuit by movements Y solenoids so that-the movemeneof said last-' mentioned oer-emf o'n sol'eiioid closes a cirouit= thfioug'h said"magnet and fthrough" aniothe'r of said'soleno'idsfiind 'a contact' controllab le bysaidmagnet "and -included in ;said lasc m'ention d eircuit. I

; 3 2t ffiihn automaticstarting box, the com- Qbiirttt'it'iffi'df ii 'plur'a'lity'of solenoids, a mov} ablcoreffofieach solenoid, a' resistance unit iconnected'wvithf' eaclicore and adapted to be 5 throwiiinto"and out of circuitby movements thereof, resistaflhce units being in parallel "with" each- "other witlr reference to the icurrentsiipplieli"tof'theworlg acircuit for ienergizing arre' ofsaid "shleiitfids', a magnet iprov iddwithan armature lever for-actuating said contactga- 'e'onnecti'on -from said armature 'le i'er to -"the otire' 'of one [of the solenoids so that-the in'oyeme'nt ofj-said lastzn'i'entioneclicore of oh'e'solenoid closes a ciri iat o ega eaiaa'magnev and through arridcher ene r "said solenoids, a contact conisla'id 'l'asti nent-ioned circuit, 1 a second mag magnet for energizing the"-'same,-' contact ime'chanis'n'i' cc'introlliible" by' e'the last of said \Yitnesses:

- OECILE ATHER'roN,

R. DAv'IsJ five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, D. 0."

:net, a-circuit =conn'e'cte'd" with said second 

